Toyota’s environmental ambitions have yet again been noticed. This time, they are not linked to the fuel economy of its vehicles, or how “green” its production process is.
Instead, Toyota Motor Company’s North American branch will receive the Keystone Leadership in Environment Award for sharing space with animals at its factories located on the continent.
In other words, Toyota’s plants in North America have specially assigned areas on their properties in which the Japanese automaker has arranged habitats for various critters, including geese and ducks.
You read that right. General Motors is working with Toyota on environmental measures. Some of you might have heard of a previous collaboration between them, which even included a dedicated factory in the USA, which the two automakers shared.
Toyota’s factory in Kentucky was the first to obtain certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council’s “Wildlife at Work,” and “Corporate Lands for Learning” programs. The Japanese automaker started working with the WHC in 2008. Thanks to the persistence of the company, Toyota now has nine sites that host wild animals, adding up to a surface of over 1,000 acres across North America.
To enter this project, sites must demonstrate programs have been active in a “green” direction for at least one year, as well as having a plan for future developments. The Keystone Policy Center established its Leadership Awards program in 1994. They focus on fields like environment, agriculture, public health, energy, and education. A panel of wildlife biologists and internal staff reviews every submission and then makes the final call about the winners.
In other words, Toyota’s plants in North America have specially assigned areas on their properties in which the Japanese automaker has arranged habitats for various critters, including geese and ducks.
Toyota did not just create some spaces where these animals would sit like at a zoo, but developed habitats for them, and hired specialized teams to take care of the creatures. Most recently, some of Toyota’s habitats host butterflies, beavers, and other kinds of small animals.
The carmaker’s efforts did not go unnoticed, as the company was granted the Keystone Leadership in Environment Award. The distinction was given by the Wildlife Habitat Council and General Motors at the 23rd annual Keystone Policy Center awards dinner.You read that right. General Motors is working with Toyota on environmental measures. Some of you might have heard of a previous collaboration between them, which even included a dedicated factory in the USA, which the two automakers shared.
Toyota’s factory in Kentucky was the first to obtain certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council’s “Wildlife at Work,” and “Corporate Lands for Learning” programs. The Japanese automaker started working with the WHC in 2008. Thanks to the persistence of the company, Toyota now has nine sites that host wild animals, adding up to a surface of over 1,000 acres across North America.
To enter this project, sites must demonstrate programs have been active in a “green” direction for at least one year, as well as having a plan for future developments. The Keystone Policy Center established its Leadership Awards program in 1994. They focus on fields like environment, agriculture, public health, energy, and education. A panel of wildlife biologists and internal staff reviews every submission and then makes the final call about the winners.